IPEC’s core competency 2 roles and responsibilities: What more do we need to implement these?

Abstract

The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) has published guidelines to promote interprofessional collaboration. These guidelines are encompassed in four core competency sets. The core competencies are: Core 1: Value/Ethics, Core 2: Roles and Responsibilities, Core 3: Interprofessional Communication and Core 4: Teams and Teamwork. IPEC has outlined sub-competencies for each, which can be interpreted as a compilation of principles, behaviors, precepts and competencies. Together they serve to promote direction for interprofessional collaboration amongst health care professionals. However, the compilation may need more explanation to guide education and practice. Though the sub-competencies described in each core overlap in their application, specifically, Core 2: Roles and Responsibilities is explored for its underpinnings. The literature to date reflects educational delivery modes, but specific content is sparse, and not in the totality of the representative sub-competencies. Much of the literature omits the background that creates the context, and the content for, our deeper understanding of the principles. Therefore, important information is missing that underpins the competency statement set to teach and to learn these sub-competencies. The aim was to identify principles and applicable content to both support learning and to address barriers to learning, which may be essential to implement the sub-competency statements. The sub-competencies independent of further elucidation are unlikely to yield the comprehension needed for implementation and discernible actions that prompt interprofessional collaborative success.